Suspect With Knife Caught After School Melee

Police detain youth at East 92nd Street and Flatlands Avenue after chasing knife-wielders in melee ten blocks away. After questioning, he was released, but officers arrested a 17-year-old with a knife near East 80th Street. Charles RogersAfter quelling a melee by groups of youths near the intersection of East 82nd Street and Flatlands Avenue last Thursday, March 13, police from the 69th Precinct chased three of the fighters and caught one of them who allegedly had a knife.

Officials said the fight - involving more than a dozen youths - started in front of Bildersee I.S. 68 at about 3 p.m. and extended across Flatlands Avenue to the front of a pizzeria, where more teens joined it. Someone yelled that a few boys in one of the groups had what appeared to be knives or other weapons in their belts, and what was fast becoming a large crowd scattered as police came, broke up the fight, and chased three youths who allegedly had the weapons.

Patrol officers stopped and questioned one youth at the corner of East 92nd Street and Flatlands Avenue, but let him go when it turned out he had nothing to do with the melee.

They chased three others a few blocks away and apprehended a 17-year-old who, they said, had been seen throwing a knife into some bushes as he ran. His name was not released and he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon. The knife was recovered.

Police said it was not clear whether the teenagers were from I.S. 68, South Shore High School or elsewhere. Charles Rogers